


How To Train Your Dragon Slayer 2

by DarlingNatsu



Series: HTTYDS [2]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Dragons are just big cats change my mind, F/M, Gen, Self-Worth Issues, Sequel, its supposed to be a secret that he’s in this but you can see it in the tags so idk, natsu struggles with self worth, zeref is a good big brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-03-08 22:31:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18903964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarlingNatsu/pseuds/DarlingNatsu
Summary: Months have passed since the events that turned Natsu into a dragon and all is normal. With feelings beginning to develop between Natsu and Lucy they decided to take a job alone, only things don't go as planed. Now not only is Natsu back to being a dragon but...Lucy's one too. This time though neither of them are anyone's pets...instead they're chained and muzzled, taking part in monster fights. They need to find away out and they might be able to with help from a mysterious third dragon.No ocs the third dragon is a canon character and there will be hints to who he actually is.There’s art for this one too but I can’t post it right now.





	1. Chapter 1

Natsu growled as he launched himself at the black scaled beast before him. He slashed at him with his claws and rammed at him with his horns.

The young black dragon kicked at his black legs and pushed Natsu off of him. Natsu leapt back and raised his own wings to make himself look bigger. The black dragon stalked around him but made no move to attack.

"I don't want to fight," the other dragons voice was soft and almost sounded worried.

Natsu felt his snarl melt. The blinding anger and fear for his life that had been pumping through his veins vanished.

"Don't I know you?" Natsu asked taking a few hesitant steps forward studying the dragons eyes. There was something in those eyes. Something warm and...familiar.

"Natsu."

His paws hit the rough dirt as he walked closer.

"Natsu!" 

He could see his reflection in other dragons eyes.

"Natsu!" 

——————————————————————

Natsu jolted awake with a start. He could feel cold sweat clinging to his body and his heart pounding in his chest.

A dream...it was that dream again.

"Hey are you all right," Natsu jumped again as he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Lucy looking down at him with concern glittering in her eyes.

Natsu took a moment to breathe before pushing himself up onto his elbows. He had snuck into Lucy's bed again, although she didn't seem to upset.

"You looked like you were having a bad dream," she said softly rubbing her his shoulder. 

"I don't know about bad...but it was weird," Natsu shook his head to clear his mind "sorry I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," she smiled.

Natsu gave her a questioning look "you were up before me? And you didn't kick me out of bed?"

Lucy laughed "yeah well don't get used to it you just looked like you needed the rest."

"Aw don't be like that," Natsu smirked "think about it I could be your own personal heater." 

"Please don't flirt in front of me," Happy wined making his presence known on the pillow next to Natsu. 

Natsu and Lucy both blushed and looked away from each other. 

"We weren't flirting Happy," Natsu muttered hiding his face in his scarf.

"Uh huh and I'm a mouse," Happy rolled over and burrowed his face into his pillow.

Lucy rolled her eyes "so what was your dream about?" she changed the subject.

Natsu blinked in surprise "oh uh...I don't really know...I was a dragon again but the rest didn't make sense." 

Lucy frowned "you still dream about that?" 

Natsu shrugged "I'm mean it doesn't matter."

Lucy tilted her head "do they bother you?"

Natsu frowned "no? I don't know."

With that the dragon slayer pushed himself up from off the bed.

"Let's just go to the guild...get my mind off it."

Lucy study his face "you sure?"

The dragon slayer nodded "yeah."

"Okay," Lucy smiled "you go get ready I'll work on getting Happy up and moving."

"Nooooo," the cat groaned as he hid himself further in blankets.

Natsu smiled at the two of them, reminding himself that it was just a normal morning. It had been months since the dragon incident and needed to let it go. Well he had mostly, except for his subconscious apparently.

The dreams started directly after he got turned back to normal, but they weren't anything strange at first. Just back to being in the body of a baby dragon. These more recent dreams however were different, he was never sure what was going on just that he was in a fight for his life against some unforeseen opponent...and in the body of a dragon again, all be it a slightly larger dragon this time.

The dreams were strange yes, but they were just dreams nothing to get worked up about. Beside he had more important and more exciting things to worry about.

Him and Lucy.

Things were finally, finally, going well for them. 

Ever since his bold move at the party for his return both him and Lucy were dropping more hints that there might be something there between them. He had finally taken Gildarts advice about not playing the dense card and it was starting to pay off! Turns out complimenting a girl won her over more then insulting her, huh who knew?

Anyways things were good and today would be the day.

The day he finally maned up and ask her out, and he wouldn't chicken out this time like he had when he asked her to meet him at the solar tree in South Gate park...then made up some bull shit story about treasure... yeah he deserved that slap.

This time would be different though!

Lucy had asked him to go on a job today to pay her rent which did put a bit of a bump in his plan but he wasn't going to back down. He had already arranged with Happy to spend the day with Wendy and Carla so now he just told him to take them and the rest of their team on their own mission and Lucy and him would handle theirs. Then once they completed their job without committing properly damage he reminded himself, he'd take Lucy to dinner using his part of the reward and ask her out there. It was flawless!

'This will work,' Natsu repeated in his head 'she's hinted to liking you back she's gonna say yes. Jeez what am I asking her to marry me?' And at that thought the dragon slayer turned bright red.

After that he just focused on getting ready and getting to the guild so he could put his plan in motion.

The walk there was filled with their usual morning banter, Happy making a few jokes and sending Natsu a teasing smile here and there. The exceed was the only one who knew about his plan to ask Lucy out, and the only one beside Gildarts who he had told he even had feelings for the celestial mage. 

Natsu did his best to ignore his heart picking up speed, the plan hadn't even started and he was already getting nervous.

Once they reached the guild Lucy gave him a smile before rushing off towards the request bored. Natsu hung back for a moment, watching her go with a fond smile on his face. It wasn't until Happy snickered that he realized he had been staring and he looked away quickly.

"You better not chicken out this time," Happy teased when Natsu looked back at him.

"I won't," the dragon slayer rolled his eyes.

"You better not other wise I'll never let you live it down," the cat added in a serious tone.

Natsu sighed "I know you won't."

They were quiet for a moment, Natsu's eyes going back to Lucy with a nervous expression on his face.

"What are you waiting for?" Happy asked him giving him a nudge on his shoulder "go get her."

The dragon slayer sent one last glance at the exceed before running off to meet Lucy by the bored.

She was studying one of the flyers she had pulled down with interest, flipping it over to make sure there wasn't anything she could have missed.

"You find one?" Natsu asked peaking over her shoulder.

Lucy hummed in response before spinning around to face him. She handed the thin paper to him and he took it to read it over himself.

"What do you think?" She asked.

It was a simply monster hunt job. One that paid enough for Lucy's rent and enough for Natsu to get a fair cut. Looking at the location told him that some rouge monsters had been terrorizing a small town. A nice town that held a nice restaurant within in it. Perfect.

"Yup looks good," Natsu piped handing the flyer back to her.

"Aright let's get going then."

———————————————

Natsu and Lucy were laughing as they walked side by side through the forest. The dragon slayer had said something so oblivious and cute that Lucy couldn't help but laugh and the celestial mages laughter was so contagious that Natsu found himself laughing too.

"You're unbelievable," Lucy giggled as she nudge his shoulder, Natsu looking at her with a fond smile.

"Really is that so?" He asked grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her up into the air making her squeal "because I seem to remember someone saying they've always believed in me," he smirked.

Lucy snorted cutely and placed her hands on his shoulders to steady herself "I don't know what your talking about."

Natsu faked a scuff and dropped her back down onto the ground.

Lucy gave him another playful shove and the two went back to walking, still puffing a few laughs here and there.

Their job had gone very well and luckily nothing had been destroyed, Natsu had been able to hold back enough to make sure everything would be perfect! Now the two were heading back to their client to collect their reward.

"So what do you wanna do when we get back?" Lucy asked innocently.

The question of course made Natsu's heart pound in his chest. It was now or never.

"Well," the dragon slayer started as he began to slow his pace, and Lucy went to match his giving him a curious look.

Once they had come to a stop Natsu turned to face Lucy.

The two made eye contact and Natsu felt himself falter at the sight. Lucy's eyes were sparkling with excitement and some other warm emotion he couldn't quite place. It made him gulp nervously before starting again.

"I was wondering," he felt his face redden and he shook his head nervously "gosh I suck at this."

Lucy place a hand on his shoulder "it's okay," she encouraged.

Natsu nodded and took in a deep breath "I was wondering if maybe you wanted to-"

Lucy eyes were drawn away from Natsu's when she noticed a shining white light behind. A magic circle, she quickly recognized. One aimed right at Natsu.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed as, without a thought she pushed him roughly out of the way. The fiery white spell hitting her instead.

Natsu stumbled back from the sudden action and whirled around just in time to see Lucy crash into the ground.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted and ran towards her.

He didn't get very far as another matching spell flew through the air and knocked him off his feet.

He crashed into to the dirt, landing roughly on his back. All the wind had been knocked out of him and he gasp as a sudden flare of pain shot through every muscle of his body.

"Lucy," Natsu groaned out as he forced himself to turn onto his side.

His double vision was able to make out the celestial mage on her side as well facing him. Her eyes were pinched shut from pain and he could see her shaking.

"Lucy," he groaned again reaching his hand out desperately towards her.

"Ngh," she groaned she opened her eyes and looked back at him.

"Natsu," she whimpered stretching her own hand towards his.

The wove their fingers together, stitching to each other like a life line.

The corners of Natsu vision was beginning to go dark and he could see Lucy already slipping into unconsciousness, her hand going limp in his own.

As he himself was fading away one thing clung to the back of his mind. It was his only coherent thought that made its presence know through the pain.

Why does this feel familiar.


	2. Here We Go Again

The world was pitch black and the sound of a drum beat rapidly against his skull. His body ached with a familiar dull pain that stretched from the top of his head all the way down to the very tip of his feet. An unpleasant awakening to say the least.

His memories and thoughts were obscured by the pain that clouded his mind like mist, but even in this state he could tell that something wasn't right.

His body felt off, not quite wrong, but not normal either. It left him with an eerie feeling that would anxiously eat away at him until he forced his eyes open.

With a groan that was bordering on a whimper Natsu forced himself to pry his eyes open. They didn't stay open very long as the light of the world flooded his vision and made the pounding in his head increase.

He took a moment to breathe and let the nausea in his stomach settle. Then with great care he tried again.

At first the boy only squinted one eye open before deeming it safe and opening the other.

Natsu was laying on his side in the cold, hard dirt of a cell. The light that he had previously found blinding, was actually quite dull and seeped in through the cracks of a small window.

Not exactly a great place to wake up in.

Mumbling as he rolled over onto his stomach he took note of how odd the movement felt. Perhaps he was injured?

His eyelids felt heavy and he his body felt like led, the temptation to fall back into unconsciousness was weighing on him, but he couldn't fall asleep yet not with out figuring out what was going on and how he got here.

Natsu grunted as he used all his strength to push himself up onto his front paws.

...

No.

No, no.

"No, no, no!"

Front paws.

Paws. 

Dark pink paws with sharp talons curling at the end of them. His paws.

"Oh by the ancestors not again," With sudden adrenaline pumping through his veins Natsu whipped his neck around and spotted what he was dreading.

A long, scaly pink torso, with two limp wings sprouting from between his shoulder blades, and a tail that dragged itself through the dirt of the cell and gave a small twitch. 

This couldn't be happening. This had to be a dream. Another one of those weird ones where he was fighting some invisible enemy. 

Focusing Natsu made his right wing twitch. The movement felt real, something he could grasp, something his mind was unable to produce in his dreams.

Natsu stared blankly ahead. So. This was happening again. Great that was just perfect.

The dragon gave his wings an experimental stretch, and he had to admit it felt good as they were quite stiff. He had definitely grown since last time, his wingspan was much larger now, only his right wing still had a tear in it from where he had taken a hit for Lucy.

"Lucy!" 

The memory of the celestial mage pushing him out of the way of that spell, of her crashing into the ground, of the way she was whimpering in pain. All of them came crashing back to him at once.

"Luc-" he made to shout but he found he couldn't open his jaw wide enough to. It was then that he noticed the muzzle that latched itself around his snout, preventing him from opening his jaw widely.

"Lucy!" The dragon yelped, not at the volume he'd prefer but as loud as he could.

A small mumble from behind him caught his attention.

Natsu wasted little time jumping to all fours and whirling around to make sure the blonde was alright-

He froze in his tracks.

He hadn't been expecting this. Not a single thing could have prepared him for this.

In Lucy's place was a dragon.

A dragoness to be more specific.

She was about the same size as him, only longer and thinner. Her scales were the golden yellow of stars with darker patches near her mouth and hind that looked like glossy melted gold running down her shimmering scales. Her horns were a stark silver colour that highlighted the sharpness of them, at the very tip of her tail she had bad a scale like blade, and just like him she had a muzzle wrapped around her snout.

It didn't take him long to realize who he was looking at. Unlike his guild mates he was able to put two and two together.

Taking a few hesitant steps forward, lowering his head closer to her he sniffed at her gently, taking in her changed scent. Then he gave her a soft nudge with his muzzle. 

The dragoness groaned and nestled her face into the cold ground.

"Lucy," Natsu said softly before nudging her again "wake up."

Lucy only wined. He didn't blame her, if she was experiencing the same pain he had then he knew it wasn't pleasant.

"Come on Luce," he tried again pushing at her shoulder with one of his clawed paws.

This time Lucy lifted her head off the ground and attempt to squint her eyes open. She got them about half way before whimpering and letting her head fall back onto the ground with a thud.

Natsu ground his teeth together in worry.

Slowly he laid down beside and nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck.

"I know you're tired Luce, and probably in pain but you really need to wake up," his tone was soft and gentle, one he rarely ever used and only expressed when dealing with small children and infants.

Lucy curled her slender body into the warmth of Natsu's and nuzzled into his chest.

The dragon felt his heart flutter briefly at the sensation before shaking his head and shoving her away.

"Lucy wake up!" He yelled as loud as he could.

The gold scaled dragon gave a startled flinch and her eyes snapped open at the shove.

He hadn't pushed her hard enough for her to fall onto the ground, just enough for her to snap out of it.

Lucy was laying on her belly, her paws sat idly by her side. He long neck curved as she dipped her head and shock it.

"Natsu?" She asked confused turning her head to look at him.

Her brown eyes widened into slits and if it weren't for her muzzle her jaw would have hit the floor.

For a moment all the dragoness could do was stare at him speechless.

"You're Kindle again?" She asked blinking at him in bewilderment.

"Yeah I know."

"How?" She tilted her head to the side, her eyes still clouded with sleep and confusion.

"Not sure," Natsu started "probably something to do with that spell that hit us."

Lucy paused for a moment, taking time to remember the previous events before nodding.

"I didn't effect me though," Lucy stated.

Natsu bit at his lower jaw, looking Lucy up and down.

"You might want to rethink that."

"What?" Lucy asked following Natsu's gaze.

She froze when she caught sight of her scaly torso and wings.

Natsu honestly had to force himself not to laugh at the expression she made.

With out warning Lucy jumped onto her paws, causing Natsu to jump in surprise.

She began spinning around in a circle, looking like a dog who was trying to catch their own tail. Natsu followed her movements with his eyes and began to feel a little dizzy as he did so.

"No, no, no," Lucy squealed finally coming to a stop "how is this possible!" She cried, dropping her wings to her side looking at him for answers.

"I have no idea!" He replied "I don't even know how I got turned into a dragon again!"

Lucy shook her wildly "this can not be happening, there is no way that I'm going to spend the rest of my days as an over grown lizard!"

Lucy dropped onto her back legs, sitting now and gripping at her muzzle with her front paws.

Natsu slowly lifted himself off the ground "hey it's not so bad," he tried carefully.

"Not so bad?! I'm to beautiful to be trapped in this body!"

Natsu rolled his eyes "if your head grows any bigger it'll pop," he teased.

'Although she is beautiful. Now. Is. Not. The. Time.'

Lucy looked at him with teary eyes "what are we gonna do?"

Natsu looked around the room, his tail swaying behind him "we have to find away out of here."

Lucy nodded and stood back up onto her paws "we've gotta figure out who did this to us. I mean the only person who could have done this is in prison right?"

Natsu nodded to her "yeah and even then the spell he developed was only supposed to effect dragon slayers, which as far as I'm aware you aren't one...right?"

Lucy scuffed "no I'm not, pretty sure I would know."

Natsu walked up to the bars of the cell and peered out. A long hallway stretched across his view, and in front of them was another cell only that one was empty. 

"See anything?" Lucy asked coming up to stand beside him, stumbling a bit over her paws.

"No," Natsu grumbled before trying to force his muzzle between the bars.

"What are you doing?" Lucy's tone was flat.

"Trying to get a better look," Natsu growled as he grabbed at the two bars on either side of him with his claws.

"By getting your head stuck?!" Lucy chirped.

When Natsu ignored her Lucy simply walked behind him and stepped on his tail.

Natsu yelped and lashed his tail out from under her paw and freed himself the bars before looking back at her.

"What was that for?" He cried pulling his tail close to himself.

"For ignoring me and being stupid," she teased.

Natsu let out a small growl and Lucy growled back. Only for the dragoness to pause and stare blankly in shock at the noise she just made.

Natsu couldn't help but laugh at her this time. Things that were pretty much normal for him were so out of the norm for Lucy, it was funny seeing how she reacted.

"Stop laughing," she growled again only for her to blush and cover her snout with one of her front paws.

"Come on its cute," Natsu purred.

"Let's just focus on finding away out," she snapped back, but with no real heat behind it.

The two sniffed around their cell, looking for any possible exit. They only one that seemed some what possible was the window, however it was too high up. Natsu tried using his wings to guide him toward it and he was sure he'd make it, but the tear in his right wing caused an unbalance he wasn't expecting and he crashed painfully into the ground.

"You okay?" Lucy asked worriedly next to him.

The dragon gave a grunt and lifted his head off the ground.

"Fine," he replied stretching his right wing over them making the tear in it stand out "that could be a problem," Natsu muttered and Lucy just looked at the wing guiltily.

"You wanna try?" Natsu asked getting back onto his paws, Lucy taking a few steps back.

The dragoness looked back at her wings and tucked them to her sides "no, if you can't make then there's no way I can...besides I would never leave you here."

Natsu smiled at her before laying down and resting his head on his paws. 

"Are you giving up?" Lucy asked in disbelief.

"No," Natsu replied quickly "I'm just tired, and it seems like all we can do now is wait."

Lucy took a few paw steps forward, rearing her neck around to take one last glance at the window before laying next to Natsu.

Lucy turned her head to look at him and noticed frustration in his eyes. He looked to be lost in thoughts, unpleasant ones it seemed.

She gave him a nudge and he looked at her.

"Something wrong?" Lucy asked him gently.

Natsu was quiet for a moment, not looking at her.

"You shouldn't have done that." He said suddenly, taking Lucy aback.

"Done what?" she searched his eyes looking for answers.

"Pushed me out of the way," He lowered his head down "then you wouldn't be in this mess."

Lucy took a moment to process what he said.

"What was I supposed to do? Let that spell hit you?" Her voice desperate, like she was trying to get him to understand.

Natsu turned his gaze further from her.

"Yes."

The answer was so quiet she had barley heard, she wonder if she wouldn't have if she wasn't now a dragon.

"No," she stated like it was fact "there's no way I could let those people hurt you! Not when I had a chance to stop it!" Lucy growled again but she didn't care this time "you've done the same thing many times and on much grander scales! Just look at your wing for gods sake!"

"That's different!" Natsu yelped finally looking at her.

"How?" She cried.

"That's my life I'm putting my life on the line not yours!" He said it like it was simple. Like that's all she needed to know.

"That isn't any different from what I did. I was in charge of my own life in that moment not you."

Natsu shook his head "that's not what I mean," he settled his head back onto his paws.

Lucy looked away her eyes glistening with unshed tears "you live for your friends you don't die for them," she quoted "those are your words are they not?"

Natsu tilted his head to look up at her for from where he was "yeah."

"So why don't you follow those words?" She asked her tone pleading.

"I do, I never intend to die whenever I take a hit for someone," he say blankly.

"I didn't either when I took that hit for you."

"You didn't know what it could have done to you."

"Neither did you. Any of the times you took a hit for someone," she snapped back quickly.

Natsu didn't rebuttal that remark, he just stayed silent and looked ahead.

Lucy stared at him, she wouldn't let him drop the topic not now. It had been a growing concern of hers and she needed to address it.

"Do you remember a few weeks ago when you took a hit for Gray on a mission?" She asked after a moment.

"Yeah?" 

"You didn't intend to die then right?"

"No," he looked at her again.

"Not intending to die doesn't mean you won't. You nearly died when from the wound you received that day," her voice was thick with emotion.

"I know...but Gray was okay...that's what matters."

Lucy shook her head again "no it's not!" She barked as loud as she could with the restraint of the muzzle.

Natsu flinched but kept his gaze on her. It hurt that he looked genuinely confused by that motion.

"If it had been the other way around," she started "and it had been Gray who took the hit for you and wound up bleeding in the dirt would that have been okay in your book?" She finished.

"No!" Natsu was quick to reply.

"Then why is it okay for you too risk your life like that but no one else?!"

"It just is!" It was a fact so simply to him it sounded like he was telling her the sky was blue.

"Natsu it's admirable how much you care for your friends and the lengths you go to protect them. But it's like you don't value your own life at all!" A stray tear slipped from her eye.

Natsu sat up quickly "please don't cry."

Lucy looked him directly in his eyes "with how quickly you're willing to throw your life away...it scares me that..." her voice broke and she took a moment to collect herself before continuing.

"That your trying to get yourself killed."

"No," he said firmly with wide eyes "no, I promise you Lucy I want to keep on living!"

Natsu hesitantly nudged her with his muzzle and she was quick to burry her own into the crook of his neck.

"Lucy I-" 

The sound of a door creaking open and heavy footsteps interrupted them.

The two leapt apart and looked to one another in surprise. Natsu stood up onto his fours and lowered his head, flexing his wings at his side.

Lucy wasn't as accustomed to her dragon body but did her best to get into a defensive stance.

Natsu attempted to force her behind him with a wave of his tail, but with their previous conversation in mind she wouldn't allow him, instead she stood firmly beside him using her own tail to bat away his. Natsu found it a tad annoying that she had basically a blade on the tip of her tail.

Two figures were coming closer, they could just make out their forms from the shadows on the ground that slowly moved closer. They could hear the rattle of chains with every step.

A low growl was coming from Natsu's throat as he stared ahead at the cell bars with narrow eyes.

Lucy could feel a growl trying to crawl up her throat and she tried to keep it at bay but these dragon instincts were killing her.

Finally the two forms came into view.

"It's you?!" Both Natsu and Lucy yelled at the same time.

Standing before them was the master of the dark guild who had originally turned Natsu into a dragon, as well as he mage who had actual produced the spell. Both mages had swords in their hands.

"How is this possible you should be in prison," Lucy barked.

"Quiet you," the guild master yelled as he unlocked the cell door. To him all he could hear where growls and roars.

"They can't understand us," Natsu muttered to her.

The mage slid the door open and pointed the sword at Natsu, who just growled loudly.

"Don't try anything," he hissed pulling out a chain and taking a few steps closer.

Natsu reared his head and slashed out a clawed paw as warning to the man before him.

"Careful now," the guild master called making Natsu turn his eyes towards him.

Natsu felt a spike of fear as he realized that the man had his sword directly under Lucy's throat which she hadn't been properly guarding.

"No need for her to die," he said coldly.

Lucy was staring the man down, she had fear in her eyes but she refused to back down.

Natsu stared at them and made no move as the dark mage took a few steps closer, lowering his own sword and hooking the chain to Natsu muzzle much like a leash.

"Natsu," Lucy called glancing at him before turning her eyes back to the dark master.

Natsu looked between the two and stumbled forward when the dark mage tugged at the chain.

"That's it dragon, just do as we say and she'll be fine."

"Natsu we were just talking about this!" Lucy snapped looking at him fully now.

Natsu didn't say anything as he was slowly being pulled away, he didn't go willingly but he wasn't exactly fighting it.

"Natsu!" She called as they pulled him out the door, his eyes still trained on the sword by her throat.

The mages moved, the dark master finally lowering his sword. They slid the cell door shut quickly as Lucy made her way over to it.

Natsu had a brief spark of life put back into him seeing that Lucy was safe and he began pulling back on the chain.

"Now now," the dark master said coldly "as long as you cooperate no harm will come to your partner."

Natsu glanced at Lucy and back to the dark master before submitting.

"Natsu!" Lucy called pawing through the bars of the cell.

Natsu began walking down the hallway with them, glancing behind him every now and then to look back at her.

"Natsu Dragneel don't you dare!" She cried after him.

Lucy slammed herself against the cell door "you better come back to me!"

Natsu felt guilty as he kept walking, listening to Lucy cry out for him.

"You hear me!" He could hear her cry. 

Natsu forced himself to keep trudging forward, he wanted to go back to her but he couldn't risk putting her life at risk.

He thought briefly to what Lucy had said earlier. He thought about what would happen if the role had been reversed and Lucy was the one being pulled away. He shook his head, that wasn't what happened there was no point in worrying about what if's.

He followed the mages through the hallway and realized with alarm that there were other cells with occupants.

Monsters.

Wild cats, vulcans, leopard boars, ect.

His stomach was starting to knot, whatever was going on here it wasn't good.

They opened a door that lead out of the hallway and the sound of cheering suddenly reached his ears.

They pulled him into a small room with a wooden gate in front of him.

The master lowered himself to the dragons level, grabbing him by the muzzle and forcing him to look into his eyes. Natsu attempt to pull back but the mans grip was firm.

"Remember dragon, you listen to me or your mate dies."

Natsu swallowed thickly, ignoring the comment about Lucy being his mate, Natsu lowered his head in submission.

The master stood up and nodded to the dark mage.

The younger man kneeled down and unlocked the muzzle and chain, before stepping back and out of the room.

Natsu was now left alone in the small room, the sound of chanting and an unsettling feeling in his gut.

"Ladies and gentle men!" Natsu perked up at the sound of a booming voice behind the gate.

"Tonight we bring you a special performance!"

Natsu leaned in closer trying to listen better.

"You know him and love him, give a warm welcome to our champion Vulcan!"

Their was a roar of the crowd as well as the undeniable call of a Vulcan. 

Natsu shifted in his spot, the bad feeling in his gut increasing.

"Now for his opponent,"

He jumped as the wooden gate started rising up. 

"Introducing a creature of both legend and magic!"

Against his better judgment he stepped out into the open, directly into an arena. 

"Our first ever dragon!"

The crowd went wild.

The arena was circular, the earth below his feet was scarred from fights, the roof of the arena was chained and outside of it was a large crowd.

And in front of him was a large Vulcan with scarred flesh and an angry look on his face.

"Let the battle begin!"

"Oh boy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Accidentally made the title of this chapter and aw shit here we go again meme


	3. Clashing Claws

The loud roar of cheers rung through the air accompanied by the sound of stomping feet, that resonated in his bones like a beating drum.

The dragon lowered his head and took a few hesitant paw steps forward. Guarding his throat and his flanks he began to stalk around the the Vulcan, eyes narrowed into slits as he watched the creature with sudden understanding.

Monster fights. A popular but very illegal past time which involved capturing dangerous monsters and creatures and forcing them to fight to the death.

What was his captured goal? Why send him here when previously his mission was to acquire dragon wings?

The Vulcan suddenly let lose an angry cry before charging towards him, it's heavy footsteps making the ground beneath him shake.

Natsu growled and kicked himself off the ground, giving a quick flap of his wings to give him more ground, landing to the side of the monsters attack.

Natsu dug his claws into the earth of the arena and flexed his wings by his side in an instinctive attempt to make himself look bigger.

The Vulcan swiftly whirled around and snarled at him.

A reptilian hiss, similar to that of a crocodile escaped the dragons throat as he shook his wings and bared his teeth.

The Vulcan swung one of its massive paws at him, but with a beat of his wings and a spring of his legs Natsu was able to leap back and avoid the hit.

In all honesty Natsu had no real desire to fight the creature before him. The poor thing was probably scared and confused, forced to keep fighting in order to stay alive. But the thought of Lucy all alone in that cell was what allowed him to reach his resolve.

The Vulcan swung its fist again but this time Natsu leapt forward and buried his sharp talons into the beasts forearm.

The Vulcan cried in pain and used its other fist to bat the dragon off.

"Ngh," Natsu grunted as he hit the ground roughly before thrusting himself onto his feet.

The Vulcan charged at him again.

"Fire dragon," Natsu sucked in a breath "roar!"

A loud and excited cry broke through the audience as a flurry of flames spilt from his mouth and danced around the creature licking painfully at its rough skin.

The monster growled and stumbled backwards. Natsu quickly took advantage of the creatures fumble and pounced at its chest, forcing it onto the ground.

A devilish shriek erupted from Natsu's throat as he reared himself back and struck at the Vulcans face several times with his claws.

The Vulcan below him roared and twisted itself back onto its paws.

Quickly Natsu jumped from the creatures chest to its shoulder, digging his claws into the its back to keep himself steady.

The Vulcan grunted painfully and reached both its hands behind its back desperately trying to pull the dragon off.

Natsu growled at the Vulcans frantic movements trying hard to stay on.

The dragons blade like fangs sliced through the rough and thick flesh of the Vulcans shoulder, near the nape of its neck. Blood flooded his mouth as Natsu shook his head back and forth ripping out chunks of his opponents flesh.

Suddenly the Vulcan dropped to the ground, using its weight to crush the dragon on its back into the cold dirt of the arena.

Natsu cried out releasing his hold on the Vulcans shoulder. The dragon struggled below his opponent, pinning him painfully to the ground. Natsu flared around for a moment before whipping his head back, impaling the beasts back with his horns. 

The Vulcan wailed and pulled itself off the ground and off the dragon. Natsu jumped to his paws and ran a few feet away from the beast before whirling back around.

The Vulcan turned slowly to face him its movements now slow and sluggish. Natsu had to suppress a gasp at just how much damage he had actually down.

The Vulcans face was sliced and bloody, bright red claw marks slithering down its features. Its fur was singed and the exposed skin of the creature was blistering painfully. A steady flow of blood oozed from the beasts left shoulder where he had torn a hunk of flesh off.

Natsu panted roughly. This felt wrong. To tear into an animal that was merely fighting for its life. He couldn't stop now though.

The Vulcan gave a weak cry as it took two slow and hesitant steps towards him. Natsu hissed a warning towards the beast that slowly approached him. Once the creature had officially come to close the dragon launched himself forward with powerful back legs and collided with its chest once more. Dust and dirt danced in the air form the force of the impact and the dragon snarled closed to the Vulcan's face displaying deadly sharp white teeth.

Natsu reared his head once more, feeling the heat of fire claw its way up his throat. Opening his muzzle revealed the orange glow of flames that threaten to spill at any given moment.

The Vulcan gave a pain filled whimper before lying its head on the ground and closing its eyes, accepting its fate. 

"What am I doing?" 

Natsu thought abruptly, snapping his muzzle closed.

"I can't kill it, not like this."

Natsu jumped off the wounded animals chest, the creature remaining on the ground breathing slowly and heavily. 

Natsu took a few paw steps away eyes following the crowd members who were waiting in anticipation.

"What are you waiting for!?"

"Finish him!"

The crowd was getting riled up, angry at being robbed of their bloody entertainment.

"Now now," came the announcers voice "we can't expect a creature as powerful and legendary as a dragon to waste its strength on something as meagre as a Vulcan."

The crowd hushed and listened intentionally to the man speaking.

"No my dear friends this was just a taste of what this creature is capable of."

A loud cry of excitement broke through the stage and they began to stomp their feet once more.

"Yeah right," Natsu hissed as he panted slightly "I'm not gonna give you sickos any more entertainment!"

The creaking of a wood made Natsu whirl around. The dark master and his mage were waiting for him where he had first entered.

Natsu lowered himself and growled at them.

The dark mage shock his head and pulled out his sword, a reminder of what would happen to Lucy if he didn't cooperate.

The dragon gave a scowl before begrudgingly making his way over to the mages.

As soon as he was within range of them they grab him roughly by the neck and forced his muzzle shut. Natsu fought their grasps on him and attempted to pull away. The dark master quickly clamped a muzzle around the dragons snout again and latched the chain to it before releasing the dragon from his hold.

Natsu stumble over his paws slightly as the pulled him roughly back towards the cell.

"You're lucky that announcer was able to save that pathetic excuse of a performance," the dark mage hissed pulling harshly at the dragons chain making him stumble "other wise you could've cost us a fortune."

Natsu growled lowly to himself and just focussed on putting one paw in front of  the other as they made their way back.

"Natsu!" Lucy's voice made his head shoot up and excitedly seek her out.

The dragoness had been pacing behind the bars in worry since her partner had been taken. She was now watching them wide eyes and muzzle opened slightly in shock.

"What the hell happened?" She cried and she leapt closer to the bars and faced the fire dragon.

"Back you," the dark mage hissed as he opened the cell door and kicked his foot at the dragoness who had tired to race passed him to get to her friend.

The mages tossed Natsu into the cell roughly before unhooking the chain. They said nothing as they slammed the cell door shut and locked it, before turning their backs on the dragons and leaving.

Finally Natsu relaxed and shakily laid himself down on his stomach breathing roughly.

"Natsu," Lucy cried as she came to his side and gently nuzzled him with her muzzle.

"What the hell happened to you?" She asked again her voice cracking as she study him with fearful eyes.

"I'm fine," he gave her a small smile to reassure her.

"You're covered in blood!" She cried.

"What?" Natsu blinked in surprise before looking down at his paws.

"Oh."

Indeed there was drying red blood clinging to his claws and paws. Looking down at his chest he found that there was more of the red liquid splattered there, and there was probably a whole gallon clinging to his teeth muzzle. Lucky though it wasn't his blood.

"It's not mine," he said quickly hoping to reassure her and calm her nerves.

Lucy looked at him with tears straining her eyes "then who's is it?" She asked as though she didn't believe him, scanning his body for any possible injury that could have been the source of the blood flow.

"Its a Vulcans," he said, lightly batting away one of the dragoness worried paws that had come to rest of his torso.

"A Vulcans?" She asked tilting her head.

Natsu nodded to her "yes, those mages... they entered me in a monster fight."

Lucy tilted her head further "a monster fight?"

The dragoness was still startled but was beginning to relax, seeing as Natsu wasn't about to bleed out on the floor like she thought he had been about to. She moved to lay down next to him and rest her head on his shoulder just about his wings.

"Yeah, I don't know why they did. It doesn't really line up with their previous intentions," Natsu looked down at his blood soaked paws in frustration.

"No it doesn't," Lucy agreed nuzzling herself against him.

"I don't know what the want from us." Natsu growled in frustration.

The two fell silent for a moment not really sure of what to do.

Lucy looked at Natsu sadly as the bulkier dragon laid his head on his paws and pouted. She pulled away from his shoulder and watched him for a moment. They really need to clean the blood off of him. 

Natsu was frustrated. He didn't know how they got here or why they dragons again. He didn't know where they were or what the hell these mages wanted from them. Worst of all though he didn't know if they wanted to hurt them or if there was away out of this.

If only he had been stronger, then they wouldn't have gotten mixed up in this in the first place. Or he had been more observant, if he had caught the spell before it had the chance to strike either one of them. If only he-

"Gah!" Natsu jump suddenly as something warm and rough brushed against his skin.

He pulled away from the source and saw Lucy looking at him with innocent eyes and her tongue sticking out in a blep.

"What are you doing?" He couldn't help but laugh, she was bleping just like a cat "did you just lick me?"

"I'm cleaning the blood off you," she told him matter a factly and leaned in a gave another lick to a blood splotch on his shoulder.

"Ah," Natsu leaned back slightly "don't like me!"

"You're the one who's always saying your dragon instincts are natural!" Lucy half shouted half laughed "well mine are telling me to wash the blood off you like a mama cat!"

Lucy leaned in quickly and gave a few quick licks to his shoulder again.

"No," Natsu laughed as he rolled onto his side and batted her lightly with his paws in a playful motion "stop being gross!"

"It's natural!" Lucy laughed as she tackled him and gave a few more cleaning licks to his chest.

"Ew" Natsu fake wined using his front paws to hold her back.

Lucy smacked him lightly with her paw, making sure not to catch him with her claws "whats gross about being clean," she laughed "You're the one who's nasty and covered in blood!"

Natsu laughed as Lucy continued to clean him "You're sick!" He teased rolling over trying to escape.

Lucy quickly pinned him to the ground "and you're still not clean!" 

"Okay, okay," Natsu chuckled as she gave a quick lick to the back of his neck "I can do the rest myself!"

Lucy looked at him quizzically "you sure?"

"Yes, yes I'm sure now get off!"

Lucy rolled her eyes and hoped off his back, Natsu quickly sitting up before licking as his paws in order to clean them.

Lucy smiled. Well that had been a bit odd...at least she had managed to cheer him up.

Lucy sat down and waited for Natsu to finish cleaning himself up. It was quite comical really, seeing a dragon clean them self like a common house cat. 

When he was done he sighed to himself and laid back down. Lucy quickly followed him lying down right next to him and gently wrapping her long tail around him.

"I'm sorry I got us into this," he spoke after a moment of silence.

Lucy shook her head "no you didn't get us into this, this isn't your fault Natsu." She told him sternly.

Natsu didn't look like he quite believed her but he said nothing as he waited for her to continue.

"The others are surely looking for us by now and whatever happens I have faith that they'll be able to find us."

Natsu nodded "yeah you're right."

Lucy nuzzled her face into the crock of Natsu's neck and closed her eyes "when this is over you me, and the rest of our team we're gonna have a long chat about your self sacrificing tendencies and your self blaming."

Natsu rested his head on her neck and hummed "I don't think it's necessary but...if that's what you want then okay."

Lucy nodded against him and purred gently. She felt Natsu smile and relax at the sound, his own tail curling around her. 

The two dragon cuddled into each other, intertwined in the peaceful bliss that only came with sleep. Even though they were both carrying unsure hearts of what the next few days might bring they knew they'd be fine.

Because they had each other.


	4. Don’t I Know You

Natsu struggled to keep up with his captures as they dragged him back to his cell by a chain. He stumbled slightly when the dark mage gave a harsh tug in order to make him to move faster.

It had been four days since they'd been captured and Natsu was returning from his sixth fight. He was starting to get exhausted as each battle put more and more strain on his body and he rarely got a proper chance to rest. Didn't help that this last fight had left him with a bruised and twisted back leg, leaving him limping slowly back to his cell.

There was an upside though.

Lucy hasn't been forced to fight.

That was his silver lining and his drive. As long as he was capable of fighting back then Lucy wouldn't have to, she was safe and that was what mattered. Despite how much she'd argue that his safety was just as important as hers, he knew that in his mind he'd never see it that way.

He was useless, his friends were not.

Sometimes he did feel like a hypocrite, always berating on about how life was important, friends were dear and you should live for them. Yet whenever he spoke those words they were intended for those listening, never for him. 

Ever since he was child he knew that there was just something not quite right about him, almost as though he was never supposed to exist in the first place. So if he were to die in the place of someone he loved...well that would just be the universe righting itself now wouldn't it?

The call of his named made the dragon look up and meet eyes with Lucy. The dragoness was being shooed away by the dark mage as he slide the cell door open, Lucy looking very much like an excited dog, eagerly trying to greet the people at the door.

The dark mage threw him forward with a whip of the chain, causing Natsu to stumble into his cell. He fumbled, placing his back leg hard on the ground to steady himself.

A pain filled yelp escaped his throat.

He had placed to much pressure on his injured paw.

"Natsu?!" Lucy asked worriedly, muzzle sniffing at his side searching for a cause on injury.

The wounded dragon quickly removed his leg from the ground, balancing on all threes "I fine just had a tough fight is all!"

Lucy blinked at him, her eyes moving slowly to his raised back leg "your hurt."

Natsu gave a weak smile "yeah, I let my guard down against a forest wyvern not a very smart move on my part."

Lucy's frown deepened as she lowered her snout to inspect his injury "you can't fight like this."

Natsu heart jump in his chest "I can handle a twisted ankle Lucy," he barked.

"This is far more then a twisted ankle Natsu!" Lucy snapped back quickly "it could be broken!"

"It's not," Natsu argued.

"Really?" The dragoness tested "then put your paw down."

"No."

Lucy raised an eyebrow "why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"Stop acting so childish and just admit you're hurt!" 

"Make me," Natsu hissed with a bit of a smirk.

"Will do," Lucy gave a small push on her partners torso causing him to lose balance and fall over.

Natsu let out a small 'Oof' as he landed on his side.

"Just lay down," Lucy spoke softly, joining him on the floor.

"Get some rest, I'll handle the next fight," she comforted giving a quick lick to the top of his head.

"No you won't."

"Shush, I'll be fine you just worry about your leg," Lucy soothed purring softly.

Natsu wanted to argue he really did, but his muscles felt so weak and his limbs so heavy. His eyes were closing before he could retort, the soft melody of Lucy's purring lulling him into a serene sense of safety and warmth. He was exhausted and could no longer fight it, all well he'd argue with her in the morning.

When Natsu awoke it was to the sounds of frustrated yelling and the growls of his partner. He was still tired but the spike of fear in his heart allowed him to peel his eyes open and take in the scene.

Lucy was standing over him protectively, head held low, claws flexed and teeth bared. A low rumble sounded from her chest directed to the dark mage and master standing in front of her, chain leash in hand.

"Move you beast," the mage growled whipping the chain against the ground in an attempt to startled her.

Lucy just hissed at the man, not flinching and not moving from her place above him.

"Luce," Natsu sounded as he attempted to his raise his head, only for Lucy to push him back down with one of her paws.

"Stay down Natsu," she growled lightly to him her eyes narrow and trained on the dark mages.

"Not a chance," he muttered as he wiggled his way out from under her, wincing as he jostled his injured leg.

Lucy sent him a panicked glance before leaping in front of him, blocking him from the mages view. 

"Lucy," Natsu started but was silenced by a swing of the golden dragons tail, that brushed up against him lightly.

"You aren't taking him," Lucy hissed to the men in front of her "not while he's hurt, I won't let you."

"They can't understand you, ya know," the male dragon reminded stepping softly to her side"it's pointless trying to convince them."

Lucy's growl rose higher and she glance at Natsu from the side "I don't care you're in no condition to fight."

"Lucy I'm fine my leg already feels better," to prove his point he rest his back paw on the ground. Granted it still hurt like a bitch and he wasn't even putting his full weight on it but it really was feeling better then it had when he had initially received the injury.

Lucy eyed him warily but made no move to give up the fight.

"It isn't your turn yet she devil," the dark mage hissed as he suddenly and roughly grabbed Lucy by the muzzle.

Lucy wailed and quickly lashed out her claws, rearing her head back and snagging the mans forearm with her sharp horns. The dark master yelped and released her, but Lucy hadn't released him. Sharp talons dug harshly into the mans skin, shredding his arm into a bleeding messed.

Natsu just blinked in surprise, damn his girl was tough, maybe this was their chance to overpower their captures and escape-

His thoughts were cut off when someone yanked him back harshly. He barked in surprised as he was pulled towards the cell door, the clink of chain attaching itself to his muzzle filling the air.

"Enough!" The dark master bellowed dragging Natsu out of the cell and causing Lucy to halt her attack on the dark mage and look up.

Her eyes widened and she quickly released the mage, an animalistic sound of fear leaving her throat. 

The mage stumbled back, holding his bloody arm against his chest and snarling at the dragoness.

" I oughta make sure your mate doesn't come back to you for that," the man spat as he left the cell, his companion closing it behind him.

Lucy wailed as she ran to the bars "he's hurt! He can't fight like that!"

Natsu closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, doing his best to ignore his partners cry's and the foreboding building up in his chest. He was sure he could handle a fight with an injured leg but he knew he wouldn't come out of it unharmed, just how many more battles could he take?

Before he knew it he found himself at an all to familiar gate, with that same loud cheering creeping in from the other side.

The gate painfully slow rose up as his name was called and he stepped into the arena, showing no signs of weakens, simply putting up with the pain so neither the crowd or whoever his opponent may be would notice his weak leg.

"And his opponent is something never before seen," the announcer voice was suddenly clear to him as the gate across from him began rising.

"Our first dragon on dragon battle!"

The crowd lost their minds, cheers sounding more like war cries and feet stomping so heavily against the wooden bleachers that if they weren't careful it could give out from under them.

For brief moment Natsu felt ice in his veins, thinking that the mages were about to make him fight Lucy, but he wasn't met with golden yellow scales. No, he was met with inky black scales that skunk forward like a shadow.

It was indeed another dragon, one he wasn't familiar with. His frame and build mirrored his own perfectly, only real major being his scale colour. Of course their were other much more subtle differences, the spin ridge this dragon had was unique to him, and black tabby cat stripes twisted their way down his back and legs, he was larger in size but moved in a way that made it feel as though he didn't want to be seen.

Natsu gaped.

This dragon...it was him, the one from his dream the day he got captured.

The dark scaled dragon stepped forward nervously, studying his opponent with worried eyes.

Natsu felt like he was in a trance as he slowly approached the other dragon in the ring. His build was so much like his own, it was as though he were staring into a blackened out mirror.

The inky frame of the barley larger dragon slunk forward, onyx eyes meeting onyx eyes.

Natsu felt his breath hitch.

Such warmth and familiarity in those eyes, eyes that reflected his own.

A small cooing sound left his throat before he even knew it was there...and his opponent returned the noise to him.

Natsu took another step forward, sniffing at the dragon with his muzzle. Oak moss and cinnamon, a spell that brought back a wave of nostalgia that he couldn't place memories too.

"Don't I know you," Natsu whispered out breathily.

The dragon before him couldn't stop the smile that spread onto his face and the soft purr of delight that followed "do you remember me?" 

His voice, soft like silk and oh so familiar.

"Who are you?" Natsu pleaded desperately.

The dragon frowned and looked away "I don't think...I think it'd be best if you didn't know."

"No," Natsu shock his muzzle "no, please I know you, I know I do! I want to remember you, I have to remember you!"

The dragon smiled sadly "you have no idea how much joy it brings me to hear you say that...but I'm afraid any trace of joy would vanish if you heard my name."

Natsu wined "please," he begged "I don't know how I know you but I do and...and I miss you."

The dragons eyes widen and glistened with tears "Natsu," he said softly "I miss you more then anything in this world," he looked up at him "and as selfish as it is I couldn't bear to see the hate in your eyes after I told you my name...but for now you may know me as Arleos."

"Arleos," Natsu tested the name of his tongue "no that's not right, that isn't your name."

The dragon chuckled "no it's not but it's a lovely name isn't."

"I guess but I want your name."

Arleos shook his head "maybe some day you'll hear it again but not today."

Natsu wined and walked closer his muzzle brushing up against the other dragons shoulder drinking in his scent.

"I miss you," Natsu started "I miss you greatly and I don't even know who you are."

Natsu couldn't see his opponents face as it pinched into an expression of pain and sadness.

"I didn't even know that I've missed you until I saw you but I have!"

Arleos chuckled "I thought you'd remember nothing of our time together...you were so small and...you didn't recognize me last time," he said softly.

"Last time," Natsu's eyes widen "no,no, no I found you once before? And I didn't know?!" 

"Yes but to be fair I think I scared you."

"You could never scare me," Natsu said as though it were fact.

"You don't know who I am."

"But I know that much."

Natsu wasn't sure what has gotten into him but he knew he could trust this dragon, Arleos as he called himself. Everything about him was warm and familiar and so inviting. Memories he didn't know he had dangled in his kind just out of his reach. There really had been something missing from him and maybe Arleos was the key.

"Boo!" Angry cries from the crowd began to sound off.

"Rip him apart!" 

"Kill him!"

"We want blood!"

Natsu scanner the crowd worryingly, there was no way in hell he was going to hurt this dragon. Even if it meant he would have to lose-

"Make it quick," Arleos's voice was soft and brought his attention back towards the dragon in front of him.

"What?"

"I'm not going to fight you," Arleos began "and these people won't let us go until one of us is bleeding."

"Screw them," Natsu hissed "I won't submit to their twisted version of entertainment and I'm not about to hurt some I care about just to please them!"

Arleos chuckled "someone you care about? Bold words considering you've only just met me."

"You said it yourself we've met before!" Natsu shouted.

"Yes but does that really matter if you don't remember?"

"Of course it does!"

Arleos smiled gently at him before laying down on the ground.

"What are you doing?" Natsu asked with a tilt of his head.

Arleos licked at his front paw looking like a rather bored house cat "sticking it to them."

Natsu smiled wide, a small chirp escaping his throat as he quickly laid down beside his new-or old friend.

With every passing second the dragons just laid there with no sign of attacking each other or hostile nature in general the crowd grew more and more angry. They howled and screamed, threw rocks and anything they could find at them, and soon began demanding their money back.

"I'm warning you dragons if you don't spill each other's blood there will be serious consequences," the announcer voice seethed with poison.

They were silent for a moment.

Then Arleos stood up.

Natsu made no move to follow, nor did he feel fear that the other dragon might harm him.

Arleos step over him suddenly guarding him protectively in the same manner that Lucy had been that morning.

"If you want to harm him you'll have to kill me first."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the wait life is busy right now. Anyways the third dragon has finally been introduced! I hope it's not super obvious who he is even though you have everything you need to figure it out and if your reading this on ao3 you can just check the tags soooo not much of a point in keeping him a secret from the readers but I still want to see how many people correctly guess who it is. Also I doubt anyone will but please don't interpret any of Natsu and Arleos interactions as romantic they're just really close is all.


	5. Learn to Fly

Lucy had a bad feeling as she paced in front of the gate, a worried rumbling sound booming from her chest. 

She could hear the crowd. They were screaming and howling, but in a different manner from the fights Natsu had previously been in. This time they sounded violent. Loud angry screeching that made her hackles rise, the sound of them stomping their feet hard against the ground and words like 'blood' and 'death' being thrown around.

Fear was coursing through her veins. Natsu was fighting on a bad leg, had that cost him the fight? Had that cost him his life?

The dragoness felt her eyes narrow as memories of her conversation with Natsu flashed through her mind.

He truly viewed his life as less valuable then hers. Then anyone's. That terrified her. Despite the fact that Natsu was so adamant on none of them sacrificing themselves for any reason, those words never seemed to mean anything for himself. Natsu is reckless she knows that much, but in recent months he had become overly so putting himself in harms way at every turn. It was starting to become worrying. 

The most recent example, before they'd been turned into dragons was when they'd been on a job with the rest of their team. Gray had let his guard down for a brief moment...but Natsu hadn't.

She still remembers they way Natsu had screamed out the ice wizards name before leaping in front of him. She remembers the way the spell had hit him, how it cut open his side and how it gushed blood. 

She remembers the look of horror on Gray's face as he caught his best friend who's knees had buckled out from under him. The poor ice mage was mortified and in shock. He held Natsu close to him and with shaky hands used his ice magic to seal his wound shut. That was the only time she'd seen the Natsu and Gray embrace, and only time she had seen Gray look so terrified. She hoped she'd never see it again.

After that incident she and Gray had a long and lengthy conversation about their growing concern for the dragon slayer. How something had felt off about him since their arrival back from the seven year gap. Like he had lost a part of himself. 

They decided they would talk about it with him after she'd returned from the solo job she and Natsu had planned to go on when he recovered. Course that hadn't happened. 

No instead she was here, in the body of a dragon, pacing back and forth and wondering if her friend was dead.

'Oh god he could really be dead.' Lucy realized with ice dropping to the very pit of her stomach.

"No," she breathily whispered, shaking her head "no!" The dragoness cried before violently throwing herself against the cell door.

She had to get to him, she had to save him, she couldn't just leave him there! 

"Let go of me!" A cry cut through her struggle.

"Natsu?" Lucy breathed.

Lucy felt a fraction of relief flood through her, she could hear his voice which meant that he was alive, but he sounded so scared and frantic which that did nothing soothe her.

Animalistic growling and screeching rung through the hall, along with the sound of clashing chains.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" The voice of the dark mage barked.

"Hell if I know!" The dark master hissed back.

The two mages came into view, their backs were turned as they yanked at chains desperately trying to reel in the fire dragon, who was going absolutely berserk.

Natsu was flapping his wings wildly, he swung his neck around violently, biting and nipping at the chains around him. A loud and booming growl was sounding from him and he screeched whenever one of the mages tugged at his chains.

Lucy pressed her muzzle to the door trying desperately to get a good look at her friend.

"Natsu!" She cried as he gave another ear splitting cry.

"Back the female up, we just need to get him into the cage for now," the master ordered.

The lackey followed his orders, pulling the cell door open before grabbing at Lucy's muzzle and dragging her away from the entrance and Lucy was to focused on her partner to really care about the dark mages presence as he pulled her away.

The dark master gave another violent tug, forcing the fire dragon into the pen. Natsu flared hopping up onto his hind legs and lashing his front claws at the man.

The dark master hopped out of the way, leaving Natsu hissing after him as he stepped out of the cage, his partner quickly rushing after him.

Natsu hissed again, the sound ringing out and suddenly making Lucy aware that he had no muzzle on his snout.

"Bloody hell," the dark mage panted "where was all this fight in the arena?!"

The dark master was attempting to close the cell door, struggling as Natsu rammed at it and having to avoid slender claws that slipped through the bars.

"Seems there is a connection between the two after all," he growled giving the door one final shove, followed by the click of a latch as it locked "we need to figure this out."

The smaller mage nodded giving the growling fire dragon another look "the sooner the better," he muttered meekly.

With that they turned their backs and began to walk off.

"Get back here!" Natsu howled, once more throwing himself at the cell door.

"What have you done with him?!" He cried loudly after them.

Lucy was taken aback by Natsu's behaviour, it was like he had gone mad. He was hissing and roaring after the mages like a feral animal, she could hardly tell that the dragon before her was once human.

Natsu rammed his head against the bars of the cell giving another cry, this one more mournful then the last.

Lucy frowned deeply before silently padding over to him.

"Natsu?" She called gently, the other dragon slowing his movements and resting his head against their cage.

"Natsu whats wrong?" 

All she got in response was a small whimper.

"Come on now," she nuzzled his shoulder gently "talk to me."

Natsu pulled his head away from the bars, craning his neck over to look at her.

Lucy sucked in a harsh breath as she looked into his eyes. They were shining with unshed tears, holding an unfamiliar pain and confusion she'd never seen her dragon slayer carry before.

"Natsu?" She tried again.

Natsu backed away from the bars, falling back onto his hind legs before resting completely on the ground.

Lucy followed after him coming to stand just in front of the dragons muzzle before lying down. She said nothing as she gave a small nuzzle to his forehead before craning her neck around him and resting her head on his shoulder.

They sat there for awhile. Natsu's breathing eventually became less frantic and wild. He relaxed against her, closing his eyes and nuzzling his face into the kink of her neck.

A soft and calming purr emanated from the dragoness, a nice change of pace from the growls that had previously rung through the halls. Natsu relaxed further and she could feel him smile against her. Eventually his own purr joined hers in the air, sounding slightly rougher then her own more smooth purr, and yet the two sounds mixed together perfectly creating a song that only the two of them could sing.

Lucy opened her eyes that she hadn't noticed she'd shut, smiling softly down at Natsu. He was so calm now, she didn't want to ruin that for him with what she'd have to ask next.

"What happened?" Her voice was small, barely rising above the sound of his purr.

The purr that abruptly cut off.

"Natsu?"

"There's another dragon Lucy."

Lucy's widen in surprise "another...are they like us?"

Natsu just nodded his head.

"Did they get another dragon slayer? Was it someone we know?" Lucy felt a small sliver of panic trying to wiggle its way into her heart, fear that another one of her friends had been put through the same hell they had found themselves in.

At her question Natsu lifted his head slightly, not enough to knock her head from its resting place on his shoulders but enough to jostle her slightly. 

"I do." His answer was quiet, coming out in a breath as though he had gotten lost in his own thoughts and this was the only thing he was absolutely sure of.

Lucy lifted her head to look at him properly "who is it?"

Natsu grimaced "I'm not...really sure."

The dragonsss titled her head "you...you know who it is but you...don't know who it is?"

Natsu let out a frustrated sigh covering his eyes with one of his front paws "I know how it sounds but I know him, I know I know him I just...I just-"

"Forgot?"

Natsu glimpsed up through his paw, spreading his toes apart so he could see her "I guess? It doesn't really feel like I forgot more like...more like those memories were taken from me somehow."

Lucy raised an eyebrow at his words "taken from you? Like with memory magic?"

Natsu sighed dragging his paw down his face "maybe I'm not really sure, all I know is that whoever this dragon is he's important to me."

Lucy nodded giving him a small sympathetic nuzzle. 

"Wait how did you even find out about him?" 

Natsu lifted his head up "we were supposed fight today in the arena...we both refused to though."

Lucy looked concerned but didn't voice it "I take it he recognized you then?"

"Yeah he did and he definitely knew more about our relationship...we have to find him Lucy...I have to know who he is."

"Don't worry we will," She was quick to assure "but what about your leg?"

Natsu shook his head "that doesn't matter right now-"

"Yes it does, how do you expect to help anyone if you can't walk!"

"That's a bit dramatic, it hurts but it isn't like I can't walk on it Luce," the fire dragon rolled his eyes "besides it's only a sprain."

Lucy gave him a doubtful look "a sprain? How can you be sure?"

"I just am! Come on we have to figure something out, they were pissed at us that we didn't fight! They could be hurting him for all we know!" The dragon half shouted as he pushed up onto his paws, making a point to put weight on his hurting hind leg.

"Right about that what the hell happened out there, I heard the shouts from here and they didn't sound pleasant!" Lucy questioned as she was quick to follow him up.

"Well I pretty much told you everything already. Me and Arleos-oh that's the dragons name by the way-were supposed to fight but we both refused...they tried to force us..." Natsu trailed off slightly.

"Force you?" Lucy asked gently.

"Throwing things, hitting us, just trying to agitated us. Didn't work though and in the end they had to pry us apart, I wouldn't let them take him but they managed to get a chain around my neck," Natsu growled "I would have been able to pull back to if my leg and wing weren't so screwed up."

"You admit it."

"Not the point."

"But you admit that's it's bothering you."

"Lucy stay on topic."

"This is on topic!"

"No it's not!" 

"Okay okay," Lucy rolled her eyes "so they got a chain around your neck but couldn't managed to get the muzzle on?"

Natsu blinked at her in surprise, not saying anything as he lifted a paw and felt his snout.

"Oh," he gaped when he didn't feel the leather of the muzzle pinching his jaw shut.

"You just noticed!" Lucy barked in disbelief.

"Give me a break I've had a long day!" 

Natsu huffed before turning back to look at the bars of the cell "but if I have full access to my mouth then maybe I can do what I did last time I was trapped in a cage like this!"

Lucy tilted her head "what do you mean?"

Natsu snickered and looked back at her "check this out."

That was the only warning she had before the fire dragon spread his paws, dipped his head and flexed his wings by his side. He sucked in a long breath, his mouth aglow with the familiar orange light of on coming flames. Just as quickly as he took the breath in he released it back out in a flurry of fiery red and gold flames flew from his mouth, that burned at such an intensity that the iron of their prison cell stood no chance and melted to pool of molten metal.

Lucy gaped at him "you can use magic," she breathed.

"Yup!" Natsu cheered tail wagging at the sight of freedom "and you should be able to, too!"

...

"MY KEYS!"

Natsu actually jumped in alarm at the sudden shout landing on his feet but stumbling ungracefully.

"What-"

"My keys! I don't have my keys!" Lucy cried in a panic.

"How can you tease me about being forgetful when you didn't even realize your keys, the most precious things you own, are missing?" Is was Natsu turn to ask in disbelief.

"Well I was to busy worrying about you!" 

Natsu winced at the statement brief, it was so quick Lucy barely noticed it.

"You don't need to worry about me Lucy, your keys are far more important anyways."

"Natsu that's not what I-"

"We'll find them," he cut her off "we'll find your keys and we'll find my friend but we can't do that if we're sitting here panicking!"

Lucy let out a strange whimper, looking down at her paws "you're right...I can't believe I was so careless."

Natsu frowned, eye softening "hey," he started as he padded towards her "it wasn't your fault," he nuzzled her "this is a stressful situation and you've had a lot on your mind."

Lucy nodded nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck.

"Hey Natsu,"

"Yeah?"

"Where's your scarf?"

...

"Let's get going."

————————————————————————

It wasn't easy sneaking around this place. Guards were positioned at certain exits and stations and its not like the wouldn't notice the German shepherd sized lizards slinking about.

It was actually Lucy leading the way. Her body was longer and lankier then Natsu's and much more agile. She was able to slip quickly past guards and curve and bend herself around objects in their path, which she would determine the safest route for them. 

Of course Lucy didn't have the mysterious dragons scent but Natsu was guiding her from behind, telling her left or right and guiding her throw the maze that was this strange base of crooks and criminals.

They worked like a well oiled machine, Lucy listening to Natsu direction intently and Natsu following Lucy's instructions without question, even if his boxier build made it harder for him to squeeze through certain cracks and crannies.

It wasn't long before they came across another wing of the building that housed more 'competitors', Natsu quickly coming to the conclusion that Arleos's must be somewhere down the hardly light hallway. 

If this section of caged animals was anything like there own, then guards wouldn't actively portal this part in fear of agitating the animals before they were placed in the ring, meaning Natsu could take charge.

And take charge he did as he bolted down the hallways.

"Natsu!" Lucy hissed over the sound of loud growls and barks coming from the cages that lined the hall.

She quickly followed after him, her speed slower then his, more of a fast trot.

"Natsu?" The voice who asked that question was not her own.

Lucy stared at the apparently empty cage as she came to a stop, swearing heard a voice.

A gasp slipped from her throat as out of the shadows, slipped a black dragon.

His build was like Natsu's, same curved horns, name fluffy looking spine ridges only with slight noticeable differences, same boxier body shade though admittedly this dragon did have less muscle to his form then Natsu...but most captivating of all to her was they shared the same soft and warm onyx eyes.

Those eyes were what made Lucy realize right in that instant that these two were related somehow. Those eyes so warm and soft, not shared by any other soul could only be passed down through blood.

Arleos, this mysterious dragon stood in the shadows, looking as though he could become one himself at any minute as he stared at the two.

"You got out," he stated with a small proud smile on his face.

"No muzzle means I can make all the fire I want!" Natsu cheered tail wagging at the other dragons voice.

Arleos chuckled "how clever of you," he praised.

Natsu's face lit up at the pleased tone of the black dragon, a happy chirp coming along with it. 

"You know you probably could've gotten away with no muzzle had you put up more of a fight."

Indeed Arleos face was adorned with a brown leathered muzzle much like the one still wrapped around Lucy's golden snout.

"If I fought they would've hurt you."

"They were gonna hurt us either way!"

Arleos chuckled shaking his head, before turning his gaze to Lucy. He blinked at her, seemingly studying her, Lucy feeling a little exposed under the dragons gaze.

"Who's your friend?" 

Natsu smiled wide, hopping on his paws to get closer to the dragoness.

"This is Lucy! She's my partner!" Natsu excitedly introduced, Lucy giving him a sheepish smile.

Arleos blinked in surprise looking between Lucy and Natsu.

"Partner?" He gaped "Natsu you got married?!" He cried excitedly.

"WHAT!?" Both dragons yelped in shock.

Arleos was up on his paws now, his own tail wagging excitedly "it's an honour to meet you! I can believe you got married!" 

"Wait Arleos-"

"I can't believe I missed the wedding! Well it's not like I could've of gone anyways or that you'd even want me there but still I'd want to be there for you on your big day!"

"We're not married!" Natsu shouted scales looking like a shade of red rather then pink.

"Oh," Arleos tilted his head "engaged then! So I haven't missed the wedding!"

"There is no wedding! We're not engage we're not even dating!" Natsu barked while Lucy shielded her face with her wings.

"Oh," Arleos said again tail resting limp on the ground "that's a shame, what did you mean by partner then?"

"Like work partners slash best friends!" Natsu squeaked out voice far higher pitched for his liking.

"Oh alright my bad then," Arleos apologized "though you two definitely do just feel like a couple you know?"

"Why does everyone say that," Lucy groaned slowly unraveling her wings.

"I guess you two just have good chemistry," Arleos chuckled "my most sincerest apologies, I didn't mean to assume."

"You're awfully polite," Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"I try to be."

"Okay!" Natsu cheered suddenly "let's get you out and then we can find Lucy's keys!"

Arleos looked to Lucy "I highly doubt he's talking about house keys, I'm guessing you're a celestial mage then?"

"Yeah I am," Lucy huffed as she watched Natsu ready himself for his attack "good guess."

Arleos tilted his head as he squinted at her "is there a chance you're a Heartfilia?"

Lucy gaped in surprise and even Natsu stopped to look back.

"I am, but how did you know that?" 

"Really?" Arleos looked just as surprised as her "well if I'm being honest it was only a guess."

Lucy squinted "that's a pretty specific guess."

"No not really, there aren't very many celestial mages left and the Heartfila family have always been celestial mages and are pretty well known. That combined with those golden scales of yours meant it was at least worth asking." Arleos explained calmly.

"Oh...I guess that makes sense," Lucy mutter shaking her head. In fact that was actually completely logical, there being only about three celestial mages in all of Fiore and Heartfila definitely being the most well known of the bunch.

Natsu was staring at the black dragon, still lowered and ready release a bundle of flames, but with a rather thoughtful look in his eye.

He said nothing and tore his gaze away from Arleos.

"Okay stand back," he yelled but something was missing in his voice.

Arleos silently moved out of the way, his inky black form melting in with the shadows of the cell. 

Natsu growled before taking a breath, the golden glow of flames burning at the back of his throat. He release the breath and flames along with it which licked at the metal gate heating it to the point of melting.

Arleos watched in amazement within the cell, a small smile resting on his snout. As the flames flickered and died the black dragon slinked out of the shadows and stepped through the gap in the bars.

"Incredible," Arleos praised as he made his way towards him "it's quite impressive that you can use your magic in this form."

Natsu smiled wide "you think?"

"Of course."

Lucy watched the two boys interact, that same realization that these two shared the same blood burning in her mind. After watching the two closely for the few moments she'd known him Lucy could tell that this dragons approval and praise meant the world to Natsu. As for Arleos she could see the genuine love and care resting in his eyes as he looked down at the barely smaller dragon, yet she could also see the uncertainty and anxiety behind his movements as though he were unsure if he was welcomed in Natsu's life.

She wanted to know more about their relationship. The memory of Natsu's confusion and confession that he couldn't actually remember the dragon but knew that there was a connection between them flashed in her mind. The idea that someone had stolen the memories from him felt unlikely but maybe it was the truth...and maybe it was Arleos himself who took them from him. 

Something about the way the other dragon was acting made her feel like he way hiding something. Like he couldn't be trusted.

Yet she knew she couldn't tell Natsu about her suspicion. 

He was so happy, so happy to have whoever this may be back in his life, and she didn't want to take that away from him. 

She would just have to keep an eye on him.

"Now we just need to find Lucy's keys then we can get out of here." Lucy was snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her name.

Arleos tilted his head to the side "do you have any idea where they are?"

"No we don't," Lucy sighed walking towards the two boy.

Arleos hummed in understanding, Natsu looking up at him "any idea where to start?" He asked.

"No," Arleos answered turning towards the exist of the hallway, stopping and looking back at the other dragons "but if we stay here then we'll be caught, what we need to do is find a place to hide until we can come up with a plan."

"Makes sense," Lucy agreed "any ideas?"

"There's a storage room that you have to pass on the way to the arena, I've only gotten a glimpse at it but it seems rather large it could hide us three for awhile." The dark dragon explained.

"Sounds like a start," Natsu smiled practically skipping up to him "lead the way!"

Lucy followed after him "it'll have to do."

Arleos lead Natsu and Lucy down the hallway, leading them down the path that one would walk to reach the arena. The dragon easily blended into the shadows, making it easy to stay out of sight. Something that was a bit harder for a pink or gold dragon to do. Luckily it had gotten late and no battles were currently going on, meaning that the halls were practically empty, only a few guards were there for them to sneak by.

Eventually Arleos weaved off the path towards the arena and lead them down a small stretch of a hallway, towards a wooden door similar to the doors of storage closets of the fairy tail guild.

"This is it," Arleos muttered before standing up on his hind legs and pawing at the door knob. 

"Why don't we just blast it open!" Natsu questioned tail flicking.

"That would completely destroy the point of hiding here Natsu," Lucy rolled her eyes.

Arleos jumped up wings flapping at his side, both front paws landing on the door knob, using his weight to pull it down. At the click of the latch Arleos used his back legs to kick to door inwards opening it with the black dragon still clinging to the door knob.

Arleos hopped down, landing on the ground with a small click of his claws. 

"Smart," Lucy smiled stepping into the room.

The storage room was much bigger then she was expecting. It was used to store food for the creatures here, chains, muzzles, a few weapons and a few other random objects scattered through out. Despite the chains that hung on the walls the air felt warm and cosy, and their was soft patches of hay to sleep on along with warm bread and fish to eat. 

Natsu scampered into the room smiling brightly "much better then that old cell."

"Definitely," Lucy smiled "even if I'm not a fan of the chains."

Natsu chuckled at Lucy's tone, as Arleos walking into the room behind him, stopping to push the door shut, using his head to push it closed.

"Alright where should we go from here?" Natsu asked looking back at the black dragon.

"Well I do have one idea."

Lucy tilted her head back at Arleos in a questioning manner.

Suddenly Arleos jumped over them, wings spread wide and with a few flaps of his wings he pushed himself through the air, gliding briefly before landing on top of a high cabinet.

Lucy and Natsu stared up at him surprise, startled by the sudden action and gust of wind.

"I'm going to teach you how to fly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm sorry this took so long my guys I swear this stories not dead. Tried to make up for it with a really long chapter but I'm to sure how happy I am with it. Hopefully you guys like it though lol I'll work harder to make sure there's not that long of a gap between chapters again.


	6. Flying With a Broken Wing

"Fly?!" Natsu gapped up at the dark dragon who was now perched above them "how'd you learn to fly?!"

Arleos smiles down towards him "it was easy really, over the years I've had a lot of free time and have studied how birds, bats and even dragons fly," he flexed his wings out wide "I simply applied that knowledge to my current situation."

"Um that sounds easier said then done," Lucy blinked up at him "besides is that the most important thing we should be focusing on?"

"If we have any hope of escaping this place it will be a necessary skill."

"How so? Seems to me that we could get out of here on foot." Lucy tilted her head.

"Maybe if we timed our escape for when we land but it would be difficult to get away with all people around."

"Land?" Natsu questioned sitting down beside Lucy.

"Ah I see I should have asked if you were aware of where we are." Arleos sighed.

"Right now we're sitting on a moving arena, a sky ship that sails through the air hiding out of reach of the magic council only stopping to pick up new guest and competitors." The black dragon explained with a flick of his tail "I'd actually been keeping an eye on them before we all got swept up in this mess."

Natsu leapt up onto his feet "this thing is moving!?" He squealed in horror.

"Oh no you don't," Lucy was quick to bat him with a paw "you've been fine all this time you are not gonna get motion sick now!"

Natsu stood ridged eyes scanning the room and waiting for a wave of nausea to wash over him.

...

"I feel fine?" 

Lucy let out a sigh of relief well Arleos tilted his head and squinted his eyes at him in confusion.

"Are you sure this thing is moving, cause I don't feel sick at all," Natsu asked giving the ground an experimental tap of his paw.

Arleos nodded his head "yes I'm sure," he paused "why are you worried about being sick?"

Lucy rolled his eyes "Natsu's always gotten really bad motion sickness."

Arleos eyes lit up with understanding "ah," he breathed before spreading his wings, leaping off the cabinet and gracefully gliding down, landing in front of the pink scaled dragon with a click of his claws "that makes sense dragon slayers have enhanced senses, the added movement of most automobiles would cause an overload of those senses resulting in motion sickness."

Natsu and Lucy blinked at him in surprise.

"Huh I've never really thought about what was causing it before..." Lucy muttered.

"Wow Arleos you're clever!" Natsu's tail began to wag "do ya think you could find a cure for it!?"

"Oh well- I don't know... I could try."

Natsu pounced on the bigger dragon, tail wagging rapidly "you're the best Arleos!"

Arleos eyes lit up with pure happiness, he placed his own paw on Natsu's back leaving them in an awkward hug.

Lucy watched the two with soft eyes, she couldn't help but feel happy for Natsu. Family was the most important thing in the world to her dragon slayer, and although she had never heard him say it she knew that not knowing what became of his birth family tore him apart on the inside. Now he had a chance to find those answers...even if he hadn't realized it yet. 

After a moment Arleos reluctantly pulled away, giving Natsu a gentle push with his muzzle. He turned around, tail swaying behind him before his wings beat at his side and powerful back legs lunched him back into the air. The dark dragon twisted himself in the air, landing back on the cabinet above him.

"Have any of you tried flying in this form before?" Arleos asked from above.

Natsu and Lucy shared an uncertain look.

"Well," Natsu started "I have some experience with gliding but," he shifted on his paws and stretched his right wing out revealing the large tear in the membrane "I haven't been able to glide properly since my wings been torn and I haven't even attempted to fly with it."

Lucy looked away from her friend feeling guilt bubble in her stomach "I've never tried flying before," her voice was soft and unsure.

Arleos eyes narrowed at the sight of Natsu's wing, body going slightly ridged. 

The dark dragon shook his head and sighed "that complicates things a bit but you should still be able to fly, you'll just have to focus on counteracting the air draft that tear will cause."

Natsu whined bringing his wing back down to his side and looking rather unsure of himself.

Attention quickly shifted back to Arleos when he suddenly extended his wings out to their full length, making him look a lot larger.

"Something you two will need to understand about flying is that your wings are limbs and they are apart of you. They're like another set arms, except the five fingers are attached by a thin membrane." Arleos began moving his left wing showing them the level of control he had over it "these wings are much more capable then a birds, more flexible and far more powerful."

Lucy watched the black dragon in awe her wings twitching by her side, beside her Natsu tilted his head watching the movement of his friends wings and trying to follow along with what he was saying.

"Flying, while not easy is simpler then you might think," he leapt up off the cabinet, powerful wings working so he was hovering in the air "it's almost like your swimming in the sky, you're going to use your wings to row through the air." To demonstrate Arleos pushed his wings back in a rowing motion which in turn pushed him through the still air.

The dragon brought his wings up and then brought them down, the tips of them curling to meet each other below him "you have muscles in your chest and back that you'll have to work when doing an up stroke this reduces the air resistance but you don't need to push yourself as hard when doing a down stroke."

Natsu and Lucy followed after him from below as he moved above them "however the still air has nothing to work with so you will have to compensate with your down stroke when you're in a place like this."

Arleos twisted his body folding his wings in a different direction, causing the dragon turn suddenly in the air "folding your wings into different shapes can allow you change directions swiftly."

Arleos suddenly pulled his wings back, back legs and tails falling in front in him "it's also possible to break suddenly," he smiled down at the two before shifting his wings back down and gliding to join them.

"Those are the basics at least."

"Whoa," Lucy breathed giving her own wing and experimental stretch "that really seems like it'd be either said then done..."

"Yes well now I think more practice and less theory would be best," Arleos huffed a laugh "best way to begin is with a running start."

Lucy and Natsu looked at each other, both not sure what to do.

After a beat the two awkwardly lifted their wings ups.

"Hey!" Natsu yelped when the tip of Lucy's wing smacked him the face. 

"Sorry!" The dragoness quickly apologized, drawing her wing back to her side.

"Give each other some space," Arleos laughed as Natsu rubbed his snout with his front paw.

Lucy gave her friend a sheepish, apologetic smile before taking several paw steps forward to put some distance between their wing spans.

Both dragons seemed rather hesitant as they stretched their wings out to their full length. Lucy did her best to get a proper running start before she leapt up into the air, she gave her golden wings a few beats and for a few seconds she was in the air. The up draft her down strokes created were more powerful then she had been expecting and as a result she was far higher then she had expect to go. 

Then she was on the ground again.

If you asked her she'd say she didn't crash rather landed a bit ungrateful...she was still on her feet at least. Unlike Natsu.

Natsu's attempt had gone rather poorly, he had done the same running start that Lucy had done only when he tried to take off he had maybe gotten in two down strokes before crashing to ground. A proper crash too, landing on his underbelly, face scrapping against the ground and unable to get his paws out underneath him in time to catch himself.

Arleos was beside him in a second.

"You alright?" He asked as the pink scaled dragon lifted himself up.

"Fine," Natsu grumbled shaking himself off. 

Arleos sighed resting on his back paws "your going to have to put more power behind your right wing," he changed his focus to Lucy "for you though that was a fantastic first try."

Lucy bit at her tongue "thanks," she murmured as she walked towards the two boys.

"Now, now, the only way you two are going to improve is if you try again," Arleos began as he leapt back up and flew back to his perch on the cabinet "try again and Natsu, focus more on your damaged wing this time."

The second attempt went slightly better. Lucy pushed her self up into the air again and this time she spread her wings wide and glided for a moment before her paws touched the ground again. Natsu on the other paw had gotten more air then his last attempt but once again landed roughly on the ground.

"You've got to-"

"Balance it out I know!" Natsu groaned getting up again "it's harder then you think ya know! It's difficult to make one wing move one way and the other do something else!" 

"You'll get the hang of it you just need to keep trying."

The third attempt went quite well for Lucy. She propelled herself into up and this time put all her focus into staying in the air. She beat her wings up and down with powerful strokes, trying hard to make sure she was curling her wings until the tips of them would touch. 

"Am I doing it!?" Lucy barked with excitement as she hovered in the air.

"Yes! Yes that's good," Arleos called up to her, with Natsu watching from the ground where he had just crashed again "now trying pulling you wings in that rowing motion I showed you to make yourself move forward!"

Lucy did as she was told working her muscles to force herself through the air. It was working. She was actually flying.

At least for awhile before the muscles in her chest and back ached to much and she had to bring herself back to the ground. Her claws skit against the floor but she didn't care. She could feel her tail wagging behind her but it didn't bother her, that was exciting and she stupid proud of herself.

"That was amazing Luce!" Natsu cheered as he ran up to her "and on your third try to!"

Lucy smiled bashfully, tucking her face behind one of wing so Natsu couldn't see her blush. That is if dragons could even blush.

"Thanks," She chirped "I wasn't expecting it to feel that...fun."

"It's different then flying with Happy huh?" Natsu chuckled tail swaying gently behind him.

"Definitely," Lucy replied as she stretch out her hind legs "it takes a lot of effort through."

A strange rumbling noise left the back of Natsu's throat as he shook off some excess dirt from his last flying attempt "you're telling me."

"Alright you too," Arleos called from above "back to work."

Lucy sighed wings dropping by her side while Natsu groaned in annoyance.

And back to work they went. Lucy gradually improving after each attempt, going from only being able remain in the air for a few seconds at a time, to a few minutes, to being able to fly around the room with ease. Her muscles were aching after being worked so hard in the span of a few hours but the feeling of flying with her own two wings was something completely magical. While she flew through the still air of their hideaway she felt the most free she had in days, and even with those muscles crying out for rest she didn't want to stop.

Natsu though was still struggling below her. 

The fire dragon leapt in the air wings flapping rapidly at two different and uneven paces by his side. A frustrated yelp escaped him as he quickly fell back towards the ground, luckily he was able to get his paw underneath him in time.

Lucy watched from above as Natsu growled and blasted the ground with a small ball of fire in frustration.

Manoeuvring swiftly through the air and carefully shifting her wings in away that would bring her lower to the ground, then landing beside her friend and pulling her wings back to her side.

"This isn't working!" Natsu barked up towards Arleos "I can't get it right! No matter what I do the up draft is always uneven!"

Arleos closed his eyes for minute in thought, before unfurling his own wings and effortlessly flying towards him.

He silently made his way around the fire dragon, sniffing at his injured wing.

"We could try something, I'm not sure how well it'll work but...it might." The dark dragon murmured.

"As long as I'm not slamming face first into the ground anymore then I'll try anything!" Natsu barked stretching his wings out "what do I need to do."

Arleos backed away so the fire dragon could have the room he needed, Lucy following in his paw steps, however Arleos placed his paw on her chest halting her movements.

"Actually we're going to need your help," he spoke softly removing his paw and stepping to stand in front of the two.

"Oh?" The dragoness questioned "whatever it is you need I'll do it, as long as it'll help Natsu."

"Sheesh you two are acting like I'm asking you to die for each other," Arleos chuckled only to get a sharp glare from Lucy.

"Alright Lucy all you need to do is have your wing under his left one. You're going to have to time your movements just right but if you two can manage then Natsu may be able to use the up draft you create to even out the unbalance his torn wing is causing." Arleos explained.

Lucy and Natsu shared a look, both their eyes shining with determination.

Lucy nodded her head, wings spreading out in an already familiar stance, only this time carefully sliding one under Natsu's.

Her partner mimicked her actions watching the way she had curved her wings and mirroring them with his own.

They stood that way for a moment.

"Ready?" Natsu asked shifting on his paws.

"When you are," Lucy called back.

They counted to three.

And then they were in the air.

Lucy and Natsu flapped their wings in sink being sure to never cross the other ones path. Both dragons powerful wings were creating that up draft they so desperately needed to stay in the air, Natsu's right wing working against him as that draft he needed slipped through the tear.

But he was still in the air.

The draft Lucy's wings were creating below him was enough to counter act the air he was losing. 

It was working. He was flying.

"That's it!" Arleos yelped from below "just like that!" The black dragon hopped up and hovered in front of them "now try moving together!"

Arleos flew ahead as Natsu and Lucy slowly began to row forward. Natsu stumbled a bit, losing his grasp on his right wing for a moment before Lucy quickly counter acted it with a fast paced up stroke.

"You're both doing good!" Arleos smiled back at them.

Lucy was a bit further ahead of Natsu but not in a way that would leave the other dragon stranded in the air.

"Think you can try a turn?" Arleos asked while turning his own body in the air.

Lucy looked back at Natsu who gave her a sharp nod.

Lucy moved first curling her wings and changing their shape, working with the wind she'd created to turn her around. Natsu followed close behind having to beat his wings a little harder to keep up with her.

Luckily though he was a fast learner, and if it hadn't been for his broken wing he probably would have learned this before Lucy had.

The two moved in perfect sink, Arleos cutting out a path for them, as they worked swiftly to follow.

Eventually though when they truly needed to rest they made it back down to the ground.

Natsu laughed between his slight panting as he gave Lucy a huge smile.

"You two have done so well!" Arleos cheered coming to stand beside them "now I think you've earned yourselves a rest."

"Good idea," Lucy sighed "I don't think my wings could handle any more."

Natsu chirped loudly back legs kicking out from underneath him and front paws working to pin the two dragons in front of him.

"Natsu!?" Both Arleos and Lucy squeaked as they fell to the ground.

Natsu wedge himself between them, snuggling into both of them, curling his tail around Lucy and spreading his wings over the two of them. 

"Come on Natsu," Lucy whined "can't we at least move to one of those hay bails first!"

Natsu said nothing just let out a soft purr.

Arleos blinked, surprised at the sudden contact but soon smiled softly and curled himself into Natsu embrace.

"Seriously you two," Lucy shook her head but the warm smile on her face and the softness of her eyes gave her away "You're to much," she purred as she nested her head on Natsu's neck.

The dragoness closed her eyes letting Natsu's loud purr and Arleos barely noticeable one carry her safely to her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated designs for the dragons are now on my tumblr! (I don’t know how to add links on here but it’s the same user name)
> 
> http://darlingnatsu.tumblr.com/
> 
> I tried to get the wing movements accurate by doing some research into how bat wings work!! I sure not all of it is accurate but I tried so hey that's what counts right. I got some inspiration from FairyTail_NaLu on ao3 who started their own dragon ft fanfic after being inspired by this one how cool is that!!! (You should check their story out lol) aBoE next chapter will be our before Christmas as well!


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